


Matthew 6:21

by pomidor



Category: 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Genre: Hello?, I know nothing about Natives or Cowboys, Just checking if this fandom is still alive, M/M, Magic, Should I warn about slash?, You've been warned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-06
Updated: 2017-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-13 05:23:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4509486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pomidor/pseuds/pomidor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben Wade does not know what he just got himself into.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Prologue

Ben Wade was rarely ever surprised in his busy life. That man – Dan, was somehow a big surprise in himself, but Ben could not predict how many unexpected events would be started by him. 

He did not expect the old Indian he almost collided with, five minutes south of the railway. He had to stop his horse and, when he was considering shooting the obstacle, the strange native spoke.

“Go back.”

And disappeared. 

Ben never really believed in Indian magic and the like, it was probably imagined by white man anyway. But he never saw a man disappear either. And he was kind of curious.

To what he was supposed to go back, he was not sure. He turned the horse and rode to the station. 

As he expected, there was no one there, but somewhere in the distance he could see a boy trying to get a dead body to the medic. Hell, he can as well help William if he’s already here. 

“How ya doing, boy?” He asked, trying to sound cheeky.

William opened his mouth, ready to throw some swear words at him but at this moment the old Indian appeared again.

“Are you willing to give your heart to someone, Ben Wade?” He asked, looking at him with his white eyes.

“What are you spouting, old man?”

“Do you want me to save him? But there is a price, and you will have to share.”

Wade snickered, while William looked bewildered.

“I know your tricks. But sure, if you bring him back to life I will pay you as much as you want.”

It was impossible to save Dan. Ben knew the wounds you could survive. These, no one could. 

That’s why he nearly fell of his horse when Dan’s dead body took a deep breath.

He dismounted to help William hold the, now moving, body. Dan opened his eyes. They did not look empty. They did not look dead.

“What the hell?”

“I told you and you agreed. One heart can be enough for two. If you want to keep it that way I suggest keeping close.” And the old man disappeared. Again.

Honestly, Ben had no idea what just happened, but he had more important things to take care of. Like the suddenly alive one-legged farmer.


	2. 1 Corinthians 15:33

“I said I’m fine.” Dan tried to escape the probing hands of the doctor. 

“You have four bullet holes in your body Mr Evans, I cannot believe you feel ‘fine’.” The Doctor was giving him curious pokes in various places.

“Me neither, but I’m not lying.”

William tried to explain to him what happened and for now he understood he was killed by Wade’s men, who then were killed by Wade, who then got on the train, escaped it, met an Indian, came back, met the Indian again, and Dan was somehow alive. Which made absolutely no sense.

Speaking about Wade, he was standing against a wall, sketching something, but from the way he did not look in his direction at all, Dan could guess it probably wasn’t him, so he ignored it. He needed to know some things and the outlaw might prove useful in that.

William was walking before the door, processing the situation.

“Well, Dan, it was nice seeing you here, but now I must go.”

Before he could say as much as ‘Wade, wait’, he was already out the door, passing William. 

William observed his departure, when something he never expected to see happened. Ben Wade fell to the ground clutching his chest. William immediately run to him. He heard no gunshot, only a gasp of pain that was not made by Wade.

“What’s wrong?” He asked trying to help the heavily breathing man up, which proved quite a task. He received no answer.

Dragging Wade back to the doctor was difficult but when he managed, Wade released himself from his hold and stepped in the direction of the laying, seemingly unconscious form of Dan. He leaned over him so far that their foreheads almost touched and for a moment he just stayed there, breathing in the same rapid fashion that Dan did.

This was such a bizarre sight that neither William nor the doctor knew what to say.

“What?” It was as much as the boy could get out.

“I don’t know.” The doctor answered him hesitantly. “When that man left, your father suddenly looked as if he was in great pain and stopped breathing. He looked as if he died.”

When William stepped a bit back something rustled under his feet. He lifted it up. It was the drawing of the Indian they saw earlier, made by Wade no doubt. 

“Wade” he addressed the outlaw, who was still leaning over his father with his eyes closed. He slowly opened them. “What made you do that?” He tried to convey what he meant by ungraceful hand gestures in their general direction.

“Survival instinct.”

He raised himself up when Dan opened his eyes. He looked like he had no idea what happened.

“Whatever it is, I have a feeling we’re in deep shit.” Ben said addressing Dan more then him. 

“I have an idea.” William said. “But it won’t be nice.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why are we doing this again?”

“Count your steps.” 

William told Wade to just go in a straight line and count. And Ben Wade didn’t usually listen to kids’ orders, but this time he was at a loss.

“I am, kid.” 

He suddenly felt this again. This aching, as if his heart constricted. He already wanted to go back.

“Go on.” William said, obviously ignoring his discomfort. 

“This is obviously a bad idea.”

He stopped suddenly and looked as if he was about to fall again. 

“We’re going back.” He uttered through gritted teeth. 

William quickly went over to his side and assisted him in getting back to the doctor. The fact that he allowed himself to be assisted was already a proof that he was very weakened. 

When they got back, Wade quickly sat down on a chair right next to Dan. 

“What happened here?” William asked his father.

“My heart, I felt as if it was about to stop beating.” Dan said and he moved minimally in Ben’s direction.

“Wade, how many steps was it?”

“Thirty-six. I know what you’re about to say, boy. But it’s way too strange.”

“What does he mean?” Dan looked from one to the other.

“You weren’t there Dad, but the old man said something about one heart for two people.”

“And keeping close. That suggest that we are sharing a heart.” Wade looked every bit as lost as Dan did.

“But that’s impossible!”

“Tell me about it.”

“I think we will have to come up with some sort of plan.” William said to lighten up the atmosphere.

 

An hour later Dan watched his son disappear in the direction of a hotel, where Butterfield still was. He didn’t know when he will see him again. If he will see him again.

All of them decided that no matter what, Ben Wade shouldn’t go back to Bisbee. In this unfortunate situation Dan could not return either. 

Alice and boys needed the money. But if the sheriff saw Wade, especially with Evans, he would not give it to them. 

Moreover, he saw Dan die. So, with a heavy heart he decided to remain dead for his family and everyone in Bisbee. Only Will could know. He was a man of borrowed time, he could drop dead anytime. 

Of course, he was not going to do nothing. They had to find a way out of this. 

That’s how he found himself in the company of one Ben Wade for an unpredictable duration of time. 

The annoying part was that they had no horses except Wade’s black stead. Dan definitively refused to steal a horse, so they ended up riding it together. The beast was not very happy about it, or so Wade said. 

“You’re quite heavy for a dead man, Dan.” He said gleefully.

“Do you have to be talking to me?”

“What else should I do? I have no other company to talk to.”

“Should have spared your outfit then.”

“Couldn’t let them see me getting on that train, could I?”

“What’s the use anyway if you escape it?”

“You should be happy, Dan. Thanks to me your sons won’t be starving no more. Alice might get a better life.”

“It’s not thanks to you. I did get you to that train.”

Wade had about enough of it. He pushed Dan of his horse, and the rancher fell with a yelp on his butt. It was not one of his greatest moments. 

When he stood the Hand of God was right before his forehead.

“You’re forgetting some things, Dan.”

“If you shoot me, you might die as well.” Dan tried to make a calm expression. 

He won’t kill him, will he? He could never know with that man. Ben Wade was the living example of the word ‘unpredictable’.

“Do you think I am afraid to die, Dan?”

“Well, you did fight for your life quite fiercely.” Dan tried not to look smug. He could feel he didn’t succeed.

Ben looked him in the eyes in that strange way that told Dan absolutely nothing. Then he hid his gun.

“We’re finding you a horse.”

He proceed to ride away slowly and Dan tagged after him. Thankfully, ‘finding a horse’ did not include killing anybody. Charlie Prince’s horse was kind enough to respond to Wade’s whistles and escape from the men trying to seize him. 

Who would have though that Ben Wade, full time bandit, hobbyist artist, was also a horse whisperer. Then again, he was so surprising, Dan tried not to be too surprised.

“Where are we going? 

“West.”

“Does that mean we don’t know where we’re going?”

“I know.”

“We should be looking for the damn man who did this!”

“And how exactly do you intend to do that?”

Dan had no idea. He knew he had to solve this situation somehow.

“We’re going to stop at Benson, we should reach it in about three hours. There we will rest, eat and buy you some new clothes, these one are covered in blood.”

“And then?”

“Then we will ride to Tucson.”

“Isn’t it dangerous to show yourself in big towns?”

“I know a man there. He might be of help.”

They rode quietly for less than an hour in a fast pace along the dry river bed. The next part of the way had quite a bit of trees, so they had to move slower. It also meant that Ben Wade became more talkative and Dan unwillingly listened to him, trying not to comment. 

Wade told him about a Cherokee that his men wanted to kill and he outsmarted them, so that when Wade came to meet them, he saw Charlie and two others so drunk they fell asleep. The Indian refused to tell him what he gave them but he did tell him about himself. He was traveling alone for over a year after his people shunned him for theft. For a while he became a member of their outfit, one of the best, Wade added. Then he decided to stay at Tucson and sell alcohol. 

“If he’s still alive, he might know something.”

“How can he help us? He’s just an alcohol dealer!”

“You got a better plan, Dan?”

Dan shut up and let Wade continue with his unbelievable tales. It was dark when they finally arrived. Thankfully, Wade knew his way around and found them a saloon.

Dan was too tired to listen when Wade was ordering a room, so he was pretty surprised to find himself in a room with Wade. With one bed. 

“Wade, where is your room?”

“Right here.” He answered throwing himself on the bed with a smirk.

“And where’s my room?”

“Here?”

“Why haven’t you gotten a second room? Or two beds?”

“I’m not sure you realize Dan, but Butterfield took all the money I had on me except for the one hidden in my shoe. I’ve just spent all of it. So if you want another room you gotta buy that yourself. I could kill the barkeeper, but we are trying to avoid commotion I assume.”

“Are we supposed to sleep together?”

“Have you never slept next to a man in the army? If you prefer the floor, you’re more than welcome.”

Dan was getting annoyed by the mocking smile, so he took of his coat and laid down avoiding looking at Wade. Fortunately, he was so tired he fell asleep immediately.

When he woke up Wade was nowhere in sight and he was still alive. For a second he thought maybe all of this was just a terrible dream. 

Five seconds later Wade went in and gave him a plate with salted ham, cheese and bread. Dan was so hungry he was almost ready to thank the man.

“How did you—“

“Called the barkeeper’s boy to get it for us. Had to call him from the steps.”

“With what did you pay?”

“Your money. It was barely enough.”

“You took my money!”

“Of course. We have to eat, Dan.”

He took his own advice, and Dan was right after him. He did not even realize how starved he was.

“If we have no money, how are we supposed to buy the things needed for journey?” Dan asked after he ate and washed his face in the bathroom.

“I suggest not buying anything.”

“I’m not stealing, Wade.”

“You don’t have to steal, just don’t interrupt my work.”

Dan looked at Wade. The criminal mockingly opened his arms in an invitation when the staring was a bit too long.

“See anything you like, Dan?” He smirked.

Dan promised himself he would not lose his composure right away, if he was supposed to spend a longer time with Wade. They had to make it work for the time being. He slowly came closer to the man and his stubbornness (though he wouldn’t call it that) did not let him stop looking straight into the calm and amused eyes opposite. It always seemed to him that Wade was testing him, making bets against his boldness. 

He was really too close for comfort, more his than Wade’s, but it was easier that way. As long as Ben looked up he could insert his hand under Wade’s coat swiftly. He moved back as quickly as he managed to dislocate the golden pocket watch from the outlaw’s vest. 

It was impossible to tell if Ben Wade was surprised. Dan noticed the golden chain peeking from the pocket when Wade was in the train congratulating him. It was a strange thing to notice at such a time, but somehow he remembered the scene before he died very vividly. He knew it was Butterfield’s watch, one his wife gave him.

“We can sell this. Should be enough.”

“You’re quite a player, Dan.”

He went out without another word, expecting Wade to go after him.

The day left him exhausted. He never liked shopping, too much dealing with people. He had to do most of it, Wade stayed in the shadows in order to not get recognized. 

When he didn’t hide, he was annoyingly criticizing Dan’s choices. Mostly about his clothes, but even if he wanted Dan to look less ragged they didn’t have that much money from the watch. So Dan kept it simple and was kind of satisfied by the look of displeasure on Wade’s face.

When he went back to the saloon he wanted nothing more then a drink of whisky. He supposed they could spend the rest of the money, it wouldn’t get them anything else anyway.

It was almost calm, with Wade’s mouth occupied. Of course, it could not last forever.

“Wade, old jackal, I heard you’re on the train to Yuma. How’s the trip?” A man sitting before them sat.

Dan immediately disliked him. Maybe because no friend of Wade could be an honest man. More likely because of his facial expression. He was a short and round man, clothed like someone traveling, with a dark beard and sunburned skin. His smile was sardonic, his voice rough from too much alcohol. There was something disgusting in his eyes.

“Abel, what you up to?” Wade’s tone didn’t seem nice, but Dan had no idea how outlaws greeted each other.

“Oh you know. Was hunting earlier. Who’s your friend?”

“My sharpshooter. He don’t talk much, but good company anyway.”

Dan didn’t like to be called Wade’s anything, especially something suggesting they were friends.

“Heard about Charlie and your boys. Damn, you always manage to surprise a guy.”

“You know what happens when someone doesn’t listen, Abel.”

Abel. Dan was sure he heard somewhere about him. He reached back and remembered Mrs Blackbeard talking with Alice about a Tad Abel. The man was known for raping children and then leaving their dead bodies laying around. He was caught but there was not enough proof and no one cared about poor kids anyway. Abel knew how to chose them. 

No wonder Wade knew such scumbags. 

Dan could not stop his hand trembling from anger. Apparently, Abel noticed the hostile intent in his gaze.

“Everything all right with your man?” He asked Wade, while his hand moved in the direction of his gun.

Wade looked at Dan and decided to take action, no matter how amusing the situation seemed.

“I think we should go. He gets very aggressive when he drinks some.”

He caught Dan’s arm, painfully scraping with his nails to get Dan to move. He managed to successfully get them to the room.

Dan sat on the bad looking at Ben with disgust.

“What, Dan? Are you going to put the blame on me for other people’s sins?” He said with a mocking smile.

“You seemed awfully chatty. I imagine you had some good hunts together with Abel there.”

Wade was suddenly very close, leaning over him and resting his knee on the bed between Dan’s legs. It was amazing how the man could get so quickly from amused to threatening without bringing out any weapon.

“He talked to me, so I talked back. I’m nice that way.”

“Did I bring back bad memories?”

Dan didn’t seriously believe Wade would take part in something like that. He didn’t even know why, Wade was a criminal and a killer, but some things just seemed above him. He wasn’t so tasteless.

“Dan, you’re ruining my evening.”

“That man ruined my evening. He should be in prison.”

“He was in prison. They let him out. Your belief in the jurisdiction is touching but misguided.”

Wade looked into his eyes silently and then smiled. It was never a good sign.

“Would you like this man to be dead, Dan? Would you like me to kill him?”

Dan looked back. Killing was… but this man should be stopped. He knew men should not judge themselves, but no one was dealing with this situation. How many children could be saved? Was this worth it?

“Yes.”

“Too bad, Dan. I won’t.”

The rancher was beginning to feel the irritation buzzing.

“Do you want me to say pretty please?”

Wade smirked more, if it was possible, and leaned a bit closer, but before it occurred to Dan to move away, he was already leaving his space and sitting on a chair near the door.

“Kill him yourself if you want to.”

“I don’t—“

“What, Dan? You don’t kill? But you shoot men while trying to get one outlaw on the train. And you ask an outlaw to kill for you. Does that make you better than the outlaw? If you don’t want to kill, leave him be. ‘Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.’” 

“Do you have to—“

“Romans 12:19.” Wade added with a smile.

Dan didn’t know what he should do. He was angry at himself that he got manipulated into thinking about it.

Wade went out from the room, but was back in five minutes. 

“Third room from the left.”

“What?”

Dan knew what Wade talked about.

“I would not advise a gun. Too much noise.”

He gave him a knife.

“How did you—“

“A present from the guy sitting behind you downstairs. He was too drunk to notice.”

Dan stared at the knife in his hand. Wade was clearly coaxing him to do this for his own entertainment. 

What if Dan didn’t do it? Would he think about all the lives that could be saved? Would he be a coward for not being able to sacrifice his conscience?

He waited till early morning hours to silently leave the room with Wade probably following after him, but he couldn’t hear and didn’t want to check and see the man’s satisfied smile. 

He never imagined he would slit a human’s throat. It wasn’t very different than killing an animal. This man was worse than an animal. He tried to justify himself, but only afterwards. In the moment it wasn’t hard, possibly because he had to do it quickly. 

Preparation didn’t take long and they left Benson before sun fully showed itself.


	3. Proverbs 6:34

A shallow grave was dug for Charlie Prince and the rest of Wade’s gang. It was far from the town and nobody but beasts lived there. Only the birds and rabbits scurried off when a coyote passed the dry earth to stand over the grave.

No man saw the hand that broke the earth and the body sliding out after it. Charlie Prince did not feel surprised about not being dead at the moment. Nor about the coyote that looked at him with human eyes. He did not feel much of anything, as a proper dead man should.

“Charlie Prince.” The animal said in a deep voice. Or maybe Charlie just heard it inside his head, he was not sure. “Do you have any regrets?”

Prince felt something in his rotting heart. Suddenly, the calmness that death offered him was overtaken with rage.

“Yes. I am angry that I didn’t bite and was loyal to an ungrateful master. I’m afraid that he found a dead one-legged rancher more important than me.”

“He is not dead.” The coyote shown it’s sharp teeth in a smile when he saw the fury on Charlie Prince’s face. “If you’d like to change that gather your crew and follow them.”

Before all the members of the gang left their grave the coyote was already gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dan Evans felt a cold gust of wind on his neck, as if a dead man was breathing on him. Than, it was not that weird, as he slept on the cold ground last night. There was already a day of riding behind them, two more and they were going to reach their destination. 

Wade was humming at best, chatting with him at worst. Not that Wade’s words were boring, he had a way of captivating the listener, whoever he may be. Dan was quite sure he could chat with his hangman and keep him interested enough to escape. On their previous journey he seemed to be more silent, and Dan could not say if it was because he was in a better or worse mood.   
“What is it, Dan?” said Wade after he saw him shiver. The man was damnably observant. “The weight of your sins catching up with ya? Dead men tormenting you in your head?”

“Right now, a very living man is tormenting me.” 

Wade smirked in answer and Dan had to stop a smile of his own. This bantering with the outlaw made him feel certain tranquility. 

“Nice to know I occupy your thoughts so much.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Wade. It’s only because you don’t close your mouth.”

“I wasn’t aware we’re at the companionable silence level already.”

“So there are things you don’t know. Nice you noticed.”

Wade laughed at that. It was somehow very friendship-like of him, so Dan distanced his horse and looked at the road ahead. He did not want to be friends with a criminal. It was good they had a kind of mutual understanding, but anything above that was dangerous. He considered Charlie Prince Wade’s friend and that did not turn out so well.

“Dan, do you fear me?” The man said appearing alongside him.

“No.”

“And yet you are wise enough not to look me in the eyes when you say that.”

Dan looked at him angrily. “I am not afraid of you, Wade.”

Wade’s horse came closer to his own, so that both their legs were crushed against each others. 

“Than I am wrong, and you are not wise.” He said in a low voice. 

Dan was even more angry, and Wade opened his mouth slightly in interested pleasure. Dan saw it before. When he almost attacked Wade by the fire. He remembered him saying that he ‘liked Dan like that.’ 

Dan sighed.

“Why do you like to see me angry? Is it that fun?”

“It is. Gives one a rush when a man who doesn’t normally kill people has daggers in his eyes.”

“Such interests may lead to your death, Wade.”

“How nice it is that we can’t go a day without threatening each other. I think this journey will be considered a success if we are both alive at the end of it. Though you already died once, so your chances are slimmer.”

“I can even them out for you, if you’d like.”

Wade laughed again. “You’re a curious man, Dan. As our fate is connected, I doubt you will hurt me.”

“And there you have your answer.”

“For what?”

“Why I am not afraid of you.”

Dan knew Wade was smiling behind him, he did not even need to look back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ben was not going to lie, he liked Dan’s company. It was much more inspiring than that of his late gang members. Even poor Charlie, bless the loyal mad dog. 

For that reason he talked with Dan much for the three days of their ride to Tucson. Dan was not as prone to talking as he, but he was a good listener. Even when he did not acknowledge Wade’s presence in words, he always did in other ways.

Dan could pretend he ignored him as much as he liked, his body betrayed him. The way he was always unconsciously slightly turned in Ben’s direction. Or the clarity in his eyes when he looked at him, when Wade was telling stories behind the fire and gazing at stars. 

Of course, the most fun was when he actually did speak. Dan did not fit to categories people put him in. He was not dry, or simple, or weak. He was something that could make a journey bearable. 

However, his conscience was a problem. Ben would have no problem with spending a lot of time with Dan, if it was not for this little detail. Dan was not a criminal. He did not want to lead the life Ben did. There was no place in Dan’s life for Ben Wade. So Wade had to find a way to get rid of him. If it meant killing him, well, he would have no doubts. Not one. 

That was what he prepared for. What he thought he would do when they rode into Tucson, found the little bar his Indian friend run. 

This thought did not leave him when he was flirting with the barmaid, and had an impatient stare of the rancher on him. Or when Chavatangakwunua (who insisted that he should really start calling him Harrison, like everyone else) showed up to talk with him. Dan was not allowed inside to the office, because Wade was sure the news of his oncoming death could make this a bit more complicated. 

However, after Chavatangakwunua talked to him, he was lost. Truly and honestly lost what he should do now. Because killing Dan would be easier than this. Or at least more possible.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The place was run down and in a suspicious area. There was not many people inside, and every one of them looked like an outlaw. They did not seem interested in them when they entered, at least. 

Dan had to listen for about twenty minutes to Wade sweet-talking the barmaid. She had green eyes, or so he heard Wade say, so it was to be expected. When the short, older, dark-skinned man that was apparently Wade’s friend appeared it was already evening. 

He was indignant that he was not allowed into the room with them. It was as much his problem as Wade’s. He couldn’t even eavesdrop, as the barmaid observed him. Somehow, she seemed as sly as a fox.

When Wade finally returned Dan was surprised to see an expression he never saw on his face before. After he asked what he found out, Wade answered him that he found out ‘nothing’. 

“What do you mean ‘nothing’? You’ve been sitting in there for over an hour!”

“Let it go, Dan. It’s impossible.”

“No! Listen to me, Wade-”

But Wade was already telling the barmaid to fill his glass, and ignoring Dan. 

Wade was apparently very good at avoiding people, even when he had to stay in a thirty feet radius of them. Dan was beginning to feel really irritated. Last time he tried talking to the outlaw the other told him ‘not to make a scene’.

That somehow continued even when Wade went to sleep. The place was small enough that Dan could stay in the bar, while the other went to the room. He did go to sleep late, to a room that was right next to Wade’s. He did not sleep long, as the owner, whose name was Harrison Dan remembered, woke him up and motioned for him to silently follow him. They went to a small, office-like room. Dan was wary. He met Wade’s friends before, and that was not the best time of his life.

“I take it Ben didn’t tell you anything that I told him.” The Indian said. 

“He only told me it’s impossible to undo this.”

“I thought he would. Listen, Mr. Evans was it? I told him a story, one parallel to that I heard from him. I will tell it to you as well.”

“Why? Why would you disobey Wade?”

“Because, however Ben looks at it, your role in this is important. Listen now-

“There were two tribes that were fighting with each other for land. Their names, you do not need. In those fights died the beloved of one of the tribes chief’s daughter and many others. Seeing all the unnecessary blood spilled, the chiefs decided to unite the tribes by marriage of that same daughter and the second son of the other chief. They were both against it, but their fathers insisted. The marriage was realized but the woman could not forget the wrongs done by the other tribe. At night, she killed her new husband. There comes a figure of a coyote, a trickster. Nobody knows why he does the things he does. What he did, was to bring the man back to life, giving him half of the life energy of his wife. Their spirits were bound in a way that did not allow them to be far from the other. The woman tried to kill him time and time again, but he could not be killed, for he was not the source of life. Only by killing herself would she get rid of him, and she was not ready to make that sacrifice. They lived together for years. The woman was in a depressed state for a long time, often neglecting herself. For that time he was her protector, her care-taker, and anything she needed. It was sensible to look after the one that was his life. Slowly, hate changed to acceptance, this to friendship and after a long time love bloomed in the woman’s heart. That was when the curse was broken, because if you have the love of someone their spirit will go with you, no matter how far you are.”

Dan was listening with growing disbelief. At the end, he was not sure what to say. 

“Are you suggesting that to free myself I have to fall in love with Wade?”

“No, it is Wade that must fall in love with you.”

“Even ignoring the fact we are both men, this is the dumbest damn thing I ever heard.”

He started standing up, but Harrison spoke again.

“Wade did not bring you here without purpose. Before I was exiled from my home, I was trained to be a spiritual guide. Mr. Evans, believe me when I say I know what I’m talking about. I know of many stories, and they often repeat themselves. You can do nothing besides trusting me.”

“Let’s suppose I trusted you. It would still be impossible, as Wade said.”

“You and him are both wrong. Ben Wade forgets he is only human, and we are creatures naturally bound to love. With some effort and time, it can be done.”

“I’m not so sure.”

“You must try. There is not any better way than the one I am suggesting.”

Dan stood up, already too full of new information for one night. 

“I can’t shrug off the feeling that the story is unfinished.” He said and the Indian raised his head with a curious expression.

“When the man freed himself, he killed his wife. I thought it better to omit this part when Ben asked.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wade” Dan addressed the man who calmly ate his breakfast.

“How can I help you, Dan?” Wade asked with a smile. He seemed to stop ignoring him, but Dan had a feeling that if he started asking him about the curse, he would close up again.

“Where are we going to go now?”

“Well, I thought we could stay here for the time being. At least they feed us.”

“I am not going to afford feeding you forever, Ben.” Said Harrison from the back. 

“Don’t forget who helped you get the money for this … lovely establishment.”

The barmaid laughed. Dan noticed she was keeping close to Wade. Not that he was surprised, the criminal had ways of being charming. 

Dan sat down, resigned. He had no idea what to do or where to go. They had no destination, and no life. He could not come back home with the burden of Wade. He won’t agree to lead the life of wrongdoings. They were both trapped. 

He looked at Wade in hope the man had any idea. The outlaw sensed his eyes and looked back. He was not one to back down when their eyes met. Dan felt like he was being tested, but did not know in what.

Outside, the sound of horses and male voices was getting louder. Dan noticed Wade stiffened when he heard them.

He did not expect what he saw. Did no one die in Contention? 

Before his eyes stood Charlie Prince. A very angry, presumed dead one.

Prince managed to draw a gun before him and a shot sounded in the bar. Charlie Prince was pushed with the force of a bullet to his heart. Dan looked at Wade, who looked triumphantly back at him, but his face changed right away. 

Charlie Prince stood up unfazed. Wade’s surprise managed to last long enough for Dan to get shot.

Not that he died, mind you. He thought he did, but the pain form the bullet passed quickly. Charlie looked at him furiously.

Dan was reminded of those words, that the man ‘could not die because he was not the source of life’. He knew what he had to do. 

He leaped in front of Wade, that was about to get shot and earned a bullet to his arm in the process. 

He was now close to Wade, in the way of Charlie Prince’s gun. Wade looked at him with mild surprise and shouted:

“Charlie, old pal! We surrender now!”

Which earned Dan another shot. Soon he will start looking like cheese. 

“I wanted to kill the dam rancher first, but you will be fine too, Wade.” Prince seethed and started going towards them. 

Thankfully, in all the confusion, Harrison managed to get out a rifle form below the bar. It had enough kick to send Prince flying through the doors.

“Quick! There is a tunnel below, follow me.”

They obeyed right away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for any mistakes, they always slip through even after re-reading. I could use a beta, especially since I'm not a native speaker. If anyone's interested, write to me.
> 
> The legend and such is completely made up by me. I do not pretend to be a specialist in Native American culture. Please do not be offended by anything I write.


	4. Matthew 25:36

The tunnel was long and dark. Harrison left them halfway saying that ‘Kate will guide them’. Somehow, Dan knew it was a terrible idea right away. 

Even besides the fact he did not trust this woman, he was supposed to make Wade fall in love with him, however stupid that sounded. His chances were already slim and a pretty green-eyed blonde was definitely not helping his case. 

At first, he was able to somehow forget about this fucked up situation, being chased by dead men and all, but the tunnel did not offer much distraction. They had to be here for at least four hours already. 

Moreover, Wade was chatting the girl up, obviously. 

“Wade!”

“Yeah, Dan? You don’t have to shout, I’m right beside you.”

“What are we going to do?”

“I think what we are doing right now, escape.”

“Where?”

He looked at the barmaid questioningly. 

“There are many ways out, but I would suggest a tavern. It’s quite far, so it should be safe.” She said to him. 

They had to travel all day to get there. At least there was no problem with getting rooms as Kate knew the owner. 

They were sitting at a table, eating when Kate stood up and slowly made her way to a room. She grazed Wade’s shoulder in a way that could not be accidental. Wade very clearly understood the invitation and stood up moments later.

Without thinking Dan caught his arm. He looked irritated.

“Wade, be careful.”

He laughed. “Relax Dan. She’s Harrison’s friend. Besides, I have no problem with killing a woman if I need to.”

And he was gone. 

Dan stayed at the table for a little bit longer. Suddenly, his vision started getting blurry. He only realized that the bitch must have drugged their food or drink before darkness overcame him. 

 

Terrible pain woke him up. He didn’t know what was happening or even where he was, but he knew he needed to move. His aching body seemed to know the direction, leaving the tavern with wobbly steps. Wade’s black horse was somehow standing outside. It seemed to recognize Dan, as it allowed him to climb on it’s back. 

Dan’s mind cleared a little, realizing the direction he was instinctively moving towards must be where Wade was. And he would not go that far on his own accord. He sped up and saw that Wade was indeed seized by six people, three of them on horses. 

The sight of his horse and Dan on it made him sigh with relief. He even scared his captors when he suddenly woke from his drug induced sleep and started suffocating. Thankfully, Dan reacted quickly and followed them. Now, he slowed up the horse and tried to mingle with the people on the road. 

Ben suspected where they were taking him. 

Honestly, he has been caught enough times to know the drill. His only worry was that Dan will be too far away and they will both die in effect. 

When they thrust him behind bars, he doesn’t feel like getting cardiac arrest, so he guesses Dan found a way to be close but unnoticed. 

He heard the tapping on the wood next to a small hole. He couldn’t even see Dan properly through it but he could hear him.

“I warned you against her.”

“Thanks, Dan, you’re being real helpful here.”

“Serves you right anyway. You should hang.”

“But you can’t let me do that, can you?”

“Oh, believe me, I’d want to.”

“Liar.”

“Better come up with some crazy plan to free you and leave this damn town.”

“Give me a moment.”

The guys on the horses left, but he was still left with the sheriff and two deputies. The younger of them was particularly rough when he was dragging him. There was possible personal grudge here. 

Dan was outside and free, but he couldn’t go further than thirty feet from his position. Ben noticed a stable not far from them while they were dragging him. This was a risky plan, but counting on luck was always Ben’s modus operandi.

“Dan, are you able to make a fire without being noticed?”

“I can already tell I won’t like this plan.”

“Do you see the stable?”

He only heard a sigh in return.

“Dan?”

“Give me twenty minutes.”

After some time a loud bellowing of ‘Fire’ could be heard. Wade was lucky, the two older men left to help and gave the keys to the young one. 

Ben waited a moment to start talking. 

“Hey, did I kill somebody you cared about?”

The boy looked back at him with hate. 

“Not you.”

“Ah, my outfit than? Who was it, your father? Mother? Fiancée?”

“It’s not important.”

“It was your sister, wasn’t it?”

The guy did a double take. He was unconsciously moving in Wade’s direction already. A simple one than.

“And they didn’t just kill her, did they? First they tasted her.”

The man was now dangerously close to the cage.

“Oh, don’t worry. They share with me only if the girl’s real pretty.”

By this point rage has overtaken the boy. Wade almost felt sorry for him.

“So she was probably nothing special.”

Wade did expect that the man was going to enter his little prison, but he was actually stronger than he looked. He gave Ben a good few hits, before Wade shoved his head against the wall. He left him unconscious on the floor and locked the cage. After he quickly collected his belongings, he went out to look for Dan. 

Dan found him instead. He was also followed by at least five people with guns. 

Wade started running. He had to find something to bounce off of, because Dan clearly couldn’t slow down for him to get into the saddle. 

At last he was able to jump of a wooden box and get behind Dan, holding onto his waist for balance. 

When Dan felt it he sped the horse into a gallop. Unfortunately, he was also able to feel Wade’s hands suddenly clutch tightly at his shirt and he could connect it with the sound of gunshots all around them.

“You all right?” He shouted.

The hands were still gripping his shirt. 

“Turn now!” 

Dan obeyed. The only things Wade said were directions, but Dan could hear his heavy breathing right next to his ear. He could also sense the tremors that Wade tried to stop.

At the last turn Dan saw their destination. A train that was about to leave the station.

“The fourth car, quick!” Wade shouted to him, before Dan was able to survey the situation.  
Wade’s horse seemed to understand the command, as it made the jump almost without Dan’s lead. 

They hit the back of the car heavily. Dan threw out the man that was trying to close the door and then closed them himself. 

At last, they were safe. Or so he thought for a second, before he remembered the way Wade held him desperately. 

When he turned around, he saw Wade has dismounted his horse and was now standing on shivering legs, clutching his right arm. He looked pale and was covered with sweat. 

“What are you doing? Lay down!” Dan was lowering him onto the ground before he even had a chance to think of the course of action. Wade went placidly, clutching the back of his neck for balance. 

Dan took of Wade’s jacket and vest. Beneath them his shirt was covered in blood. He quickly took it of as well and saw the wound on his arm. It was thankfully not in a place that would cause death but Wade was losing lots of blood.

“It’s an exit wound, Dan.”

Wade said between heavy breaths. Dan checked his back and saw the place where the bullet went in. 

“We’re in a car with bed linen. Quick, Dan, I’m getting very dizzy.”

He quickly tore up linen and started bandaging the other man, making it tight enough to apply pressure. It was kind of amusing, Ben was able to notice what was in the car in his state, when Dan didn’t.

“You’re gonna be fine, Wade. Talk to me.” He couldn’t allow him to lose consciousness. 

Wade breathed out a short laugh.

“What should I talk about?”

“Anything” Dan found matches and started getting out gunpowder from his revolver. “What is your horse called?” He said the first thing that came to mind.

“Russell.”

“Russell? What kind of person calls their horse that?” He unwrapped the bandage on the front and poured gunpowder over it. Wade kept his eyes closed.

“I happened to meet a guy named Russell. He was a very horse-like fellow.”

Dan lit the powder. Wade made a painful sound and his whole side shivered violently, but at least the bleeding stopped. Then, Dan done the same to the wound on his back.

Dan couldn’t say how much blood Wade lost when they were escaping. Wade’s skin was cold and clammy and he’s eyes looked unfocused, so it was very possibly a dangerous amount.

He had to be kept warm. Dan dressed the burned wound, put Wade’s soiled shirt back on, and started getting out bed linen from the stacks around them. He arranged a make-shift bed and carefully pushed Wade onto it. Then he wrapped him up in remaining linen so that only his head was visible.

“I feel like a child being tended to.”

Wade said it with a hint of humor, but it only reminded Dan who he left back home. 

“Don’t count on me next time you get shot.”

“I wasn’t exactly counting on you. You can’t let me die for your own good.”

“I don’t understand.” Dan did in fact understand, but he did not want to let Ben know he talked with Harrison. “Why is it that when they shoot me I’m fine, but you’re like this?”

“It’s this … thing between us. You are practically immortal, but if I die, you die too. I’d say we’d be dead already if it was the other way round.”

“You’re the one who was shot. Though, I guess you are pretty lucky.”

Wade laughed. “How is getting a bullet lucky?”

“You were shot in the arm. And it went right through. Also, don’t tell me you knew we would end up in a car full of linen.”

“I did know there existed a car with it in the train, as they sell quite a lot from this parts.”

“And how did you even get out of that cell? I won’t believe if you tell me you had everything pre-planned.”

“I don’t do that, Dan.”

“Do what?”

“Plan. I observe and use it to my advantage. People who plan wouldn’t survive half the things I did.”

“I guess you have been shot before?”

“Never so dangerously.”

Wade seemed to nod off after that last sentence, so Dan busied himself with checking the bags on Russell. Harrison must have replenished it, because Dan found quite a bit of dried meat and dried fruit in there, besides a bit of coffee and water. He didn’t know how long they were going to travel, but the prospect of not starving was a welcome one. 

He checked for Wade’s breathing once in a while, and eventually fall asleep between him and his horse. 

A hand shaking his arm woke him up. He couldn’t have been asleep for more than four hours, but he woke up panicked. There was no need, as Wade was the one waking him.

“Are you alright?” 

It was dark, but Dan could see Wade didn’t look well. He was still pale and weak.

“I’m great. But it would be nice if you got me something to drink.” 

Dan found the water. Then, he gave him a dried apple as well.

“How long are we going to be on this train, Wade? Do we have a destination?”

“We do.” Wade gave him back the water urging him with his eyes to drink it. “It’s gonna be another day and night before we get there. Then, we have to go on horseback. It’s gonna be longer with only one horse.”

“You need to see a doctor.”

“I don’t think –“

“There’s no discussion about it, Wade. I’d let you die, if the situation was different, but unfortunately we have to stick together.”

Wade looked at him, and sighted.

“There might be a doctor, close to the station we will leave from.”

“Good. We will look for one.”

After that, it got strangely quiet. Traveling with Wade usually wasn’t so.

“What place are we going to?” Dan wasn’t usually so keen on breaking the silence. Ben never told him their next visiting place anyway.

“Somewhere safe.”

“How vague. Also not something I was expecting.”

“There are really not that many options. You don’t want to share my lifestyle, I certainly don’t want to share yours, on top of that we are hunted by my dead outfit and possibly others. We need a place to think, without people constantly shooting at us.” 

“I can’t believe you say that.”

“What? It’s the most logical solution.”

“So you’re gonna give up beain’ a bandit?”

“Only for a while.”

Dan let him sleep for the rest of the day, waking him up only to eat and drink. His state didn’t seem to get any better. 

When they arrived at the station, his walking was still unstable. Dan put him before himself on the horse, so that his arms were supporting Wade’s chest, and he could lean back against him. 

Finding a doctor was not easy, but Dan managed. The doctor calmed him down, saying Wade’s life was not in danger and that he would get back on his feet after rest and regular intake of water. 

When they took of in the direction Ben pointed, Dan noticed the climate here was a lot milder and humid. There was also more greenery. They must have moved quite a bit up east. 

After a day’s ride, they met four men leading a group of horses. Wade asked them a surname and one took them to a big ranch.

The doors were opened by a woman, fine looking but with sharp features emphasized by her jet-black hair. She seemed very displeased.

“Hello, Lucy.” Wade greeted her, holding Dan’s arm for support. 

“Ben” she made it sound like an insult. “What are you doing here?”

“I need a favor from your husband. You’re gonna be thrilled.”

“He ain’t gonna do nothing for-“

Her words were stopped by an arrival of a man, presumably the afro-mentioned husband, from within the house.

“What happened, Lucille?” Then he saw Wade, and seemed to take a double take. “Ben! What happened to you?”

“Oh, I’m great. Would be better if I could sit down.”

“Better lay down.” Dan added, feeling very out of the conversation. 

They entered the house.


	5. Ezra 10:4

It didn’t take Dan much time to adjust, though working at such a big stable was a bit different than at the ranch. It didn’t bother him though, he liked getting up early and filling his day with hard work. It helped with trying not to think about what he left behind.

Now Wade, he was definitely not created for hard work. It wasn’t even that he lacked strength or skill. He was just lazy. 

He was proving it by not leaving his bed after Dan tried to wake him (twice). They were already late and Dan could not reach the stable without him, it was way too far. Maybe, if Wade hadn’t insisted on them staying in the house, instead of living with the rest of the workers, he would. Dan decided that enough was enough and pulled the sheet, with Ben on top of it, right onto the floor. He felt immense satisfaction when Wade pulled a gun on him and then reminded himself that he couldn’t kill him.

It was already two and a half week since they arrived in Lucille and Scott Warner’s house. Scott was apparently an old friend of Wade’s. It was strange for a man who killed so many people to have friends, but Wade told him once that he ‘roamed the world and met all sorts of folk’. The first week he spent healing, with Dan watching over him. He wasn’t completely sure Lucille wouldn’t try to poison Wade, she seemed to hold a grudge. When the time came, Wade struck a deal that surprised Dan. He asked Scott to let them stay on the farm for an indefinite period of time. After a long talk Scott agreed, in exchange for work and breeding of Wade’s horse with one of his mares. 

Although, technically, they were stablehands, they still lived and ate in the house. They were given a small room with two beds, but it was still more comfortable than the ones in the building next to the stables. 

‘Work’ wasn’t exactly the word Dan would use regarding Wade. It was more ‘helping to work’ or ‘spacing out when tagging along where Dan worked.’ The other stablehands looked at Ben with barely repressed accusation and Dan was just hoping he wouldn’t get attacked and killed, or kill someone himself, because Dan was sure Scott would throw them out then. 

He didn’t quite know why Scott was friends with Wade. Scott seemed like a trustworthy and lawful man. When Dan first saw him he couldn’t ask much, because he was himself drowned with questions from the Warners’. When he tried to somehow explain the situation without making it clear that Wade was shot while escaping from a sheriff, they explained to him they knew exactly who Wade was. So it left him making up creative lies only about why he had to be near Wade at all times, and he decided to call himself his bodyguard. They seemed to find that explanation quite incredulous, but they let it go. 

So his situation wasn’t half bad, he got food, place to sleep and it was considerably safer with all those guards looking out for horse thieves. Of course, it didn’t stop Wade from complaining. 

“God, this farm life is so boring.”

“It wouldn’t be boring if you helped muck out the stables once in a while.”

Ben remained where he was, comfortably resting against the wall.

“Let’s ride to town.”

“No way, it’s too dangerous.”

“We’re far from the places I’ve usually been. No one will recognize me.”

“Wade, we can’t be sure that nobody followed us. Your un-dead underlings are probably looking for you.”

“You’re unreasonable.”

“You’re a child.”

Wade glared at him. When one knew he couldn’t be harmed, the glare was somehow less effective. 

For some reason animals, especially horses, adored Wade. Whenever he came in they always made interested noises. He wouldn’t even do much, he often just sat down and drew in his sketchbook. 

Dan supposed they liked him because they got used to his silent presence. He showed some levels of patience with just sitting and drawing. He was often so focused, that he didn’t even hear Dan. 

Mostly he drew horses, Dan observed. Sometimes, he found himself being followed by Wade’s eyes and he knew the man was sketching Dan, though he could not imagine why. He never saw Wade draw anyone else. From short glances into the sketchbook, Dan found very little pictures of people, and when there were any, it were mostly ladies in various state of undress. Not that he saw it very clearly, as Wade did not let him look, so he had to satiate his curiosity when the outlaw was asleep. It was weird of Wade to hide his sketchbook, and leave some of his drawings just hanging outside where he made them. Dan wasn’t sure which ones Wade liked better, the ones he left or the ones he kept.

At first Dan disliked being in the centre of Wade’s attention and his insightful eyes. After some time he grew used to it, like the horses, he supposed. Apparently, Wade had a talent with not only horses, at least when he was not threatening you. 

He spend so much time with Wade, it was hard to think about him as dangerous anymore, even though he saw the outlaw kill someone with just a fork. Wade was behaving himself on the farm, even though he was becoming increasingly restless. Dan was used to working, and to having the kind of routine that came with owning a ranch. He ate better than ever too. The work helped somehow to bring his mind of the family he left behind, though not always. He knew that for now, it was better to forget, and leave them only as a point to which he had to return to. 

He did not know what to do. The only information, unreliable as it was, seemed to be that he was under a curse and only Wade’s love could free them both. Not that he relied on that. He had never seduced a woman. He could not even begin to comprehend how he could seduce a man.

His thoughts came back to Alice. She was the one to pursue him, but it could not have been difficult for her. One look from her wonderful green eyes and he was hooked. 

His body, his looks, his behavior, even his eye color were not right for the job. He was not sure it was even worth trying. 

It was hard to admit, but Wade would probably perform much better if it was the other way round. Dan had no doubt that man was quite a charmer. He also, despite knowing the whole bible, did not have a clear sense of morality, so maybe he would not be as hesitant about considering a man in such light as Dan himself was. 

Nevertheless, real curse or not, Dan had to try something. Wasting time feeding horses was not going to get them anywhere. 

He tried to remember what it was that made him fall for Alice when they met. Besides the fact that she was a stunningly beautiful and gentle woman, because that was not something he could use. 

The first time he saw her, she had just arrived in the town with her parents. He happened to go into the same building and let the three of them pass him on the stairs. She turned to him and gave him a smile as thanks. He was smitten. He did not think he had any chance with her. 

The first time they really talked was on the town’s day. It was at night and a great occasion for young men like him to get drunk. He did not manage it, however, as the lovely blonde approached him, with a plate full of beef and vegetables. By the fire, she seemed lovelier than ever. 

He decided it was as good a first step as any. A nice meal with Wade could not be any worse than anything they already survived. 

He was pretty lucky that the Warner’s gone to visit their niece in town and they had the house to themselves for a few days. The nights were windy, so they used the fireplace. It was late and the fire gave the room the kind of intimate atmosphere Dan was aiming for. The room was much nicer than the one in Dan’s home, with a big dinner table close to the fireplace and calming turquoise walls. 

Dan was not much of a cook, but his roast beef was pretty good. He also acquired a bottle of Port, which seemed to positively surprise Wade.

“You’re spoiling me, Dan.”

“I just wanted to drink something other than coffee or whiskey.”

“Is that it? You seem unusually agreeable today.”

“You were more helpful in the stables. Usually you just draw.”

“I need a change of pace once in a while.”

“Your drawings, they are really good, for a criminal. Did someone teach you?” 

Dan remembered that Alice drew him in by making him talk about himself. It was a thing he rarely did with anyone else, even before the war. He just got the feeling that she was interested and would not judge anything he said. Not that Wade needed any encouragement to talk, but this was the only way Dan thought of making the conversation somewhat pleasant.

Wade looked above his wine glass, weighting if he should answer him. 

“Only for a while and long ago.”

“How did you came across something like that?”

“Well, I was homeless, doing this and that for people. There came along an English lady who needed somebody to carry her things. I never met such a woman. She traveled alone, far from her country to capture a world different from what she saw before. She was over forty and unmarried. She was looking for someone older, but somehow she took a liking to me, though I was only fourteen. I traveled with her for about four months. In that time she taught me a lot: about how money works, about confidence and taking what you want, about how Europe and Africa look and how to properly pleasure a woman, too. But drawing, that stayed with me the most. I could never paint like her though.”

“What happened with her?”

“She had to leave. Her family’s fortune was governed by her uncle. That is a chain hard to break.”

“What happened to you?”

“That’s the part that you wouldn’t like to hear.”

“Was it then that you decided to be an outlaw?”

“‘Decided’ is a strong word. They had work, I needed money, it all worked out nicely.”

After eating they went to their room and Dan felt restless. He knew that conversation by the fireplace was not going to change things. Words were not his strong suit. True, actions were not either, but they were still easier. 

That particular one was not easy. He decided quickly, before doubt began to sink in. The only satisfaction he got from it was the shock painted on Wade’s face.

He leaned in and kissed him. He kissed Ben Wade. That was one thing he never expected to have the misfortune of experiencing.

Wade was not much help either. Dan was expecting a bit more of an answer, but instead Wade pushed him slightly away.

“Are you trying to suffocate me? You know, for such a calm looking guy you sure kiss violently.”

It was true that Dan was never this forceful with Alice. Wade, however, was not a woman, and so did not own Dan’s affection.

Dan leaned in again, trying to look less threatening and vowing to be more delicate but Wade’s hand on Dan’s chest kept him at bay.

“I know what you’re trying to do, but you’re not getting another chance today.”

“What?”  
“Do you think I don’t know that Harrison told you about the curse, and how to break it? You won’t accomplish anything. If you want to try, by all means, you can kiss me. But you can only try once a day.”

“Why?”

“To not get me bored too quickly.” Wade said with a smirk and went to sleep.


End file.
